An Act To Eliminate Inactive Boards and Commissions
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §55, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 566, §1 and amended by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. OO, §2 and affected by §4, is repealed.
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §55-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 238, §1 and affected by §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §1547, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 451, Pt. F, §2 and amended by c. 600, §4, is further amended to read:
Legislatively created public instrumentalities and other related organizations required to comply under this subsection who must also comply with the federal Office of Management and Budget circulars, regulations issued by a governmental accounting standards board or other accounting, auditing and reporting requirements may submit that information to the State Controller to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §12004-A, sub-§11, as amended by PL 1989, c. 878, Pt. B, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §12004-C, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 6. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§3-D, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 559, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 7. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§4-B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 196, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 8. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§10-E, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 593, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 9. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§30-D, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 655, Pt. A, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 10. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§2-E, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 566, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 11. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§4-B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 503, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 12. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§4-C, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 86, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 13. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§22-B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 206, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 14. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§23-B, as amended by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. B, §8 and affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed.
Sec. 15. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§30-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 16. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§36-D, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 560, Pt. D, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 17. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§57-E, as amended by PL 2007, c. 34, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 18. 5 MRSA §12004-K, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 786, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 19. 5 MRSA §12004-L, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 381, §9, is repealed.
Sec. 20. 5 MRSA c. 383, sub-c. 5-A, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 21. 5 MRSA §15303, sub-§6-B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 196, §10, is repealed.
Sec. 22. 7 MRSA §352, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 559, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 23. 7 MRSA §353, as amended by PL 2009, c. 652, Pt. A, §5, is further amended to read:
§ 353. Sustainable agricultural water source program
The board department shall work with the department and the Department of Environmental Protection to facilitate implementation of the sustainable agricultural water source program in accordance with this section. The Board of Environmental Protection shall determine flow standards through rulemaking authorized under Title 38, section 470-H.
An agricultural producer who has or whose predecessor had a permit or voluntary agreement establishing withdrawal limits must adhere to those limits for the 5-year period or until in compliance with the standards established in rule.
For the purposes of this subsection, "predecessor" means a person who preceded an agricultural producer in the ownership or use of a parcel of land.
Sec. 24. 10 MRSA §949, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 420, §7, is amended to read:
(1) Seven representatives from the for-profit business community within the 7 targeted technologies as defined in Title 5, section 15301;
(2) Seven representatives involved with nonprofit research institutions within the 7 targeted technologies as defined in Title 5, section 15301;
(3) Four representatives of the Maine Biomedical Research Board established pursuant to Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 4-B;
(4) Two representatives from nonprofit research laboratories with main offices or headquarters in this State and demonstrated expertise and credentials in marine research;
(5) One representative of the University of Maine and one representative of the University of Southern Maine;
(6) Four representatives of private universities and colleges within the State;
(7) One representative of the University of Maine Center for Law and Innovation;
(8) One representative of the Small Enterprise Growth Program as established in section 381; and
(9) Two representatives with demonstrated expertise in venture capital.
Sec. 25. 10 MRSA §8001, sub-§38, ¶K, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 397, §11, is repealed.
Sec. 26. 12 MRSA §405-A, sub-§3, ¶¶B and C, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 635, are amended to read:
Sec. 27. 12 MRSA §405-A, sub-§3, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 635, is repealed.
Sec. 28. 12 MRSA §6034, as amended by PL 2011, c. 128, §§1 and 2, is repealed.
Sec. 29. 12 MRSA §6035, as amended by PL 2005, c. 505, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 30. 12 MRSA §6176, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 505, §5, is amended to read:
§ 6176. Commercial fishing safety
The commissioner may adopt commercial fishing safety rules recommended by the Commercial Fishing Safety Council. Rules authorized by this section must be adopted and amended in accordance with the procedures outlined in subchapter 2 and are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 31. 12 MRSA §10156, as amended by PL 2007, c. 651, §§3 to 5, is repealed.
Sec. 32. 20-A MRSA §8232, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §4, is amended to read:
Sec. 33. 20-A MRSA §8233, sub-§§1 and 4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §4, are repealed.
Sec. 34. 20-A MRSA §§8234 and 8235, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §4, are repealed.
Sec. 35. 20-A MRSA §8236, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §4, is amended to read:
Sec. 36. 20-A MRSA §8237, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 363, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 37. 20-A MRSA c. 437, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 38. 22 MRSA §256-B, sub-§1, ¶K, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 327, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 39. 22 MRSA §271, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 560, Pt. D, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 40. 22 MRSA §272, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 560, Pt. D, §2, is amended to read:
(1) Educate the public about the health hazards, costs and other relevant facts surrounding the use of tobacco products;
(2) Encourage young people not to begin using tobacco products;
(3) Motivate the users of tobacco products to discontinue smoking; and
(4) Encourage public acceptance of smoke-free environments;
(1) Monitoring and maintaining the program's effectiveness through an evaluation of each component; and
(2) Assessing the prevalence of the use of tobacco products and knowledge about and attitudes towards such use on a statewide and community basis; and
The bureau shall administer the program with the review and advice provided by the council in subsection 2 and may contract for professional services to carry out the program.
Sec. 41. 22 MRSA §272, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. AA, §58, is repealed.
Sec. 42. 22 MRSA §328, sub-§17-A, ¶C, as amended by PL 2011, c. 424, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 43. 22 MRSA §8708-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. C, §28, is amended to read:
§ 8708-A. Quality data
The board shall adopt rules regarding the collection of quality data. The board shall work with the Maine Quality Forum and the Maine Quality Forum Advisory Council established in Title 24-A, chapter 87, subchapter 2 to develop the rules. The rules must be based on the quality measures adopted by the Maine Quality Forum pursuant to Title 24-A, section 6951, subsection 2. The rules must specify the content, form, medium and frequency of quality data to be submitted to the organization. In the collection of quality data, the organization must minimize duplication of effort, minimize the burden on those required to provide data and focus on data that may be retrieved in electronic format from within a health care practitioner's office or health care facility. As specified by the rules, health care practitioners and health care facilities shall submit quality data to the organization. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 44. 24-A MRSA §6951, first ¶, as amended by PL 2009, c. 359, §5 and affected by §8, is further amended to read:
The Maine Quality Forum, referred to in this subchapter as "the forum," is established within Dirigo Health. The forum is governed by the board with advice from the Maine Quality Forum Advisory Council pursuant to section 6952. The forum must be funded, at least in part, through the savings offset payments made pursuant to former section 6913 and the access payment pursuant to section 6917. Except as provided in section 6907, subsection 2, information obtained by the forum is a public record as provided by Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1. The forum shall perform the following duties.
Sec. 45. 24-A MRSA §6951, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. A, §8, is amended to read:
Sec. 46. 24-A MRSA §6952, as amended by PL 2011, c. 90, Pt. J, §24, is repealed.
Sec. 47. 25 MRSA §2952, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 837, Pt. B, §11 and c. 841, §8, is repealed.
Sec. 48. 25 MRSA §2954, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 680, Pt. B, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 49. 25 MRSA §2955, first and 2nd ¶¶, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 680, Pt. B, §3, are amended to read:
The commissioner shall establish and operate within the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency such regional investigative task forces as the commissioner determines , in consultation with the board, are required for effective drug law enforcement throughout the State.
The investigative component of each task force is comprised of law enforcement officers drawn from municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies, who, during the period in which they serve in the task force, must be placed on a temporary assignment by their employing law enforcement agencies and in the nonclassified positions within the agency as established. All agency investigative personnel may not be state employees, for the purposes of Title 26, chapter 9-B. All agency investigative personnel shall act in accordance with rules, policies and procedures established by the commissioner. In determining the number, areas of responsibility and investigative complement of these task forces, the commissioner shall take into account geography, population , and the need for service and the advice provided by the board.
Sec. 50. 25 MRSA §2955, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 680, Pt. B, §3, is amended to read:
Sec. 51. 25 MRSA §2956, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 790, Pt. A, §32, is amended to read:
Sec. 52. 25 MRSA §2957, as amended by PL 2011, c. 662, §17, is further amended to read:
§ 2957. Confidentiality
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the investigative records of the agency are confidential and all meetings of the board are subject to Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1, except that those meetings may be held in executive session to discuss any case investigations or any disciplinary actions.
Sec. 53. 25 MRSA §2958, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 790, Pt. D, §8, is amended to read:
§ 2958. Prosecution protocol
The Attorney General, after consultation with the 8 district attorneys , and the United States Attorney for the District of Maine and the board, shall establish by rule a protocol that governs the selection of the state or federal court system for prosecution of drug cases investigated by the agency.
Sec. 54. 32 MRSA c. 104, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 55. 34-A MRSA §3002-B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 503, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 56. 34-A MRSA c. 19, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 57. 35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§4-A, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read:
Sec. 58. 35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§4-A, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 655, Pt. B, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 59. 38 MRSA §343-D, as amended by PL 2011, c. 206, §§5 and 6 and affected by §37, is repealed.
Sec. 60. 38 MRSA §353-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1993, c. 500, §3 and affected by §5, is further amended to read:
Sec. 61. 38 MRSA c. 8, as amended, is repealed.
SUMMARY
This bill eliminates boards and commissions that did not file annual reports in either 2016 or 2017 or that filed a report that indicated inactivity for 2016 and 2017. The boards and commissions being eliminated are:
1. The Advisory Board for the Licensing of Whitewater Guides;
2. The Advisory Committee on Fair Competition with Private Enterprise;
3. The Board of Licensing of Dietetic Practice;
4. The Commercial Fishing Safety Council;
5. The Maine Agricultural Water Management Board;
6. The Maine Biomedical Research Board;
7. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Advisory Board;
8. The Maine Quality Forum Advisory Council;
9. The Pollution Prevention and Small Business Assistance Advisory Panel;
10. The Prison Industries Advisory Council;
11. The Sex Offender Management and Risk Assessment Advisory Commission;
12. The State Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force;
13. The Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Council;
14. The Board of Trustees of the Maine School for Marine Science, Technology, Transportation and Engineering; and
15. The St. Croix International Waterway Commission.
It also eliminates a statutory reference to the Interagency Review Panel, which was previously eliminated.
This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12006, subsection 2. As authorized by the law, and based on the Secretary of State's submission of boards and commissions to eliminate, the bill eliminates boards and commissions that have not reported on their activities to the Secretary of State for the last 2 calendar years or have been inactive during the preceding 24 months.
The committee has not taken a position on the substance of the bill and by reporting this bill out the committee is not suggesting and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or disagrees with any aspect of this bill. The committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of turning the draft into a printed bill that can be referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in the normal course. The committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of this bill.